Filtering apparatus



;Jues,1937. l R P. ADAMS 2,083,183

F'ILTERING APPARATUS Filed July 18, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 ,lll

IIE- l InUETlm June 8, 1937. R, P, ADAMS I' 2,083,183

FILTERING APPARATUS n Filed July 18, v195e 2 sheets-sheet 2 l1-menton' El E1-12rd. E Adam .Patented June l8, 1937 sTAires fr Arransrus A'rer ori-ics Reimann Adams, aan, n. r. Application 'my 1s'. isst, r ne. @1,293

rz crains. (ci. 21e-izo) My'invention relates t9 improvements in ltering apparatus and is more particularly de# signed for -ltering water, although it is, of course, applicable to the illtering lof other liquids, and the object .of my invention is-to provide a filter wherein the water has a continuous flow therethrough, and wherein sections of the filter can be back-washed and cleaned without interfering with the normal water flow.

Another and particular object of my invention is to provide a ltering apparatus incorporat.` ing a plurality of iilter tubes contained within a chamber and wherein the water is fed into the 1 tubes and passes'through the walls thereof into the chamber, the passage of water through the tubes being controlled by a valve mechanism provided in each tube assembly. l

- A further object of my invention is to provide each tube with two valves, one valve controlling the passage of Water` into the tube and 'thence through the wall ofthe tube into the chamber, and the other valve provided forcontrolling communication between the' bore of the tube and a back-wash drain which is furnishedl to receive back-wash Water when the tube is being cleaned, said valves having a synchronous movement wherein one opens as the other closes.

Another object of my invention is to construct my apparatus so that it comprises a casing having a pair of partitions dividing the casing into three chambers, the filtering tubes being *com tained within the central chamber, and the water feed and back-wash valve mechanisms con- 5 tainedv in the upper and lower chambers respectively. With these and other objects in view, my in vention consists of ltering apparatus constructed and arranged, all as hereinafter more particu- 4o larly described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which: v 1

Fig. l is a vertical cross-sectional view through my filtering apparatus. Fig. 2 is a horizontal cross-sectional view through the apparatus, being taken through the line 2 2, Figure 1.

Fig. 3 is a horizontalv cross-sectional view through a fragmentary portion of the apparatus o being taken through the line 3-3, Figure l.

' Fig. 4 is a vertical cross-sectional view through the valve actuating mechanism, vbeing taken through the line 6 4, Figure `3, and

Fig. 5 is an enlarged cross-sectional view 55 through one of the sleeves and sleeve valves conare formed 'or the sneu i.

trolling the ilow of water in the tubes. being taken through the line web, Figure 1.

Like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the different views in the drawings.

My apparatus broadly comprises a cylindrical shell i standing in-an upright position, the bottom 2 of the shell being inclined towards an opening 3 which is flanged to be coupledv to a back-wash water receiving drain. The upper portion of the shell is provided with a flanged water inlet opening 6l adapted to be coupled to a water feed pipe. The central portion of the shell is provided with a flanged water outlet opening 5 adapted to be coupledto a water outlet pipe. The top ofthe shell i is covered by a domed cap t removably secured thereto by a plurality of bolts i passing through the flanges 8.

The interior of the Ashell is divided into three chambers; an upper chamber e, a central chamber l@ and a lower chamber il. The ors by the provision of a pair oi circular upper and lower partition plates i2 and i3. The lower partition plate i3 rests upon an annular shoulder le in the lower portion of the shell, and the upper partition plate l2 is supported upon a plurality of lter tubes it which extend between the partition plates. In the ap paratus illustrated, five lter tubes are provided. The upper face of the partition plate i2 is formed with e. concentric rib le containing a number of bolt holes il.' A gland packing ring i8 is positioned above the rib i@ and is of substantially theV samevouter diameter as the inner diameter The'rlng'is drawn towards vthe rib i@ by a plurality of screws or studs i9, freely passing through orices t@ in the ring it and threaded into the orices il in rib le. A plastic packing 2i is provided underneath the ring @8; on top of the plate i2 so that a water-tight joint is made around the edge of the plate i2.

The partitionpiates it and it are each formed with ve 'oriilces te of substantially the same diameter as the bores of the tubes it, and the tubes extend from an orice in one plate to a corresponding orice in the other plate. Thepor tions of the plates sur-rounding the orices are recessed to receive packlngsl between the ends ofJ the tubes and the plates. To retain the plate and tube assembly tightly together. I furnish a plurality oi stay bolts 2textendlng between the plates to draw them together against the tube ends. The peripheral portion of the lower face of the partition plate i3 is recessed to receive a packing 23 which rests upon the shoulder I4 to make a water-tight joint. The lower ends of some of the bolts v22 'are threaded through orifices in the shoulder I4 so that the tightening 5 upof the bolts draws the partition plate I3 tightly -against the shoulder. I'he upper face of the partition plate I2 supports five sleeves 24 formed with flanges 25 resting upon such upper face around the orifices 26, and are secured tothe plate by aplurality of studs 21. The sleeves are of substantially the same inner diameter as the orifices 26 and the bores of the tubes, and are each formed in their upper portions with a number of fluid entrance ports 28. The tops of the l5 sleeves are covered by/plates 29 which support cylinders 30. The lower open ends of the cylinders 30 are formed with flanges 3| winch are secured to the plates 29 by boltsv32.

The bottom face of the lower partition plate I3 supports five sleeves 33 of similar construction to the sleeves 24 and surrounding the lower orifices 23',Q the sleeves being secured to the plate by studs 34 and provided with fluid outlet ports 33 in their lower portions.

A sleeve valve 33 isi-furnished in each of the sleeves 24 and 33 and such valves are adapted to slide within .the sleeves to "cover and uncover the vports 29 orf". The sleeve valves each consist of a ringill recessed in" its outer face to 30 contain a rubber facing 33 which.V has a watertight contact with th inner face of its sleeve..

Each ring 38 is' lformed with a` central spider 39 between the legs of lwhichthe water can freely flow, and formed with a central orifice 4U for the 5 reception oi a valve rod 4I.

- The pair of valves for each tube are supported upon a. rod 4 I and are so spaced apart upon such rod that when the upper valve is below the ports 23, the lower valve covers the `ports and when the rod 4I and the valves are raised, the upper valve covers the ports 28 and thelower valve moves above the ports 35. The upper ends of the rods 4I passing through the upper valves 38 are of reduced diameter `and extend through gland packed openings 4 2 in the sleeve plates 29 and are secured to pistons 43 contained within the cylinders 30. The reciprocation of the pistons 43 in the cylinders 30 moves the rod and valve assemblies upwardly or downwardly as the case may be.

For moving the pistons 43 upwardly inv the cylinders 33, any suitable fluid medium may be used, as for example the .water pressure which is being fed throughrthe filter, or Voil pressure, or air if so desired. To feed the fluid medium to the cylinders, a plurality oi' pipe connections A44 pass through the upper portion of the shell I and are each connected to the lower end of a cylinder 3l. To move the pistons downwardly, any suitcompressed air, which is fed to the upper ends of the cylinders through a lead-in pipewhich is connected tothe cylinder heads by branch pipes 43.

The operation of my apparatus is as follows:-

The water enters the upper chamber 9 through the inlet 4 and assuming that the upper valves 33 are in their-lowermost positions in the sleeves 24 with the ports 28 uncovered, enters such ports and passes through the sleeve valves and through the orifices 29 in the plate I2 into the filter tubes I3 from where it passes, through the walls of the tubes into the central chamber I 0 and thence 75 in a filtered condition to the outlet orifice I; the

able fluid medium vmay be used, as for example,l

ports 35 in the'lower sleeves 33 `being covered by the lower valves 33..

As the filtering process progresses.l the impurities which have been taken out ofA the water by the filter tubes gradually reduce the porosity of the tubes and also build up on Atheir inner faces. After a certain length of time it is necessary that the pores of the tubes be cleansed and the accumulation of foreign matter washed from their inner faces. To accomplish this without substantially interfering with the continuous filtering capacity of my apparatus, Ifprovide vthe mechanism as before described, wherein I clean the tubes, preferably one at a time, 4without afl fecting the continuous filtering operation'through and piston rod 4I move upwardly, the upper and lower valves also move upwardly until they reach the position illustrated, wherein the upper valve covers the water inlet ports 23 and the lower valve is above the lower ports 35 opening to the backwash drain. When thisl movement is accomplished, the passage of water from the chamber 9 into the filter tube A is cut off and the water in the bore of the filter tube "A runs out of such tube through the lower sleeve valve 33 4and through the ports 35 to the back-wash drain.

It is to be understood that as water is fed into my filtering apparatus under pressure, that there is a pressure differential between the pressure of water in the bores of the tubes and in the central chamber I0, and that the filtered water in such chamber I0 is under pressure somewhat less than the pressure in the tubes. Therefore,

when the feed water pressure in the tube A is A cut off, the filtered water in the chamber III will pass from the chamber back through the wall of the tube A and into its bore, thus in its reversal of iflow through the wall, it washes the accumulated filtered matter from out of the pores of the tube and also washes off the accumulation of. filtered matter on the inner wall of the tube in its return movement. The water which has returned through the wall of the tube with its accumulated filtered matter removed from the tube, passes downwardly through the tube bore and through the uncovered valve ports 3l into the back-wash drain chamber II and thence out of the apparatus through the outlet orifice 3.

To return the piston for the tube A" to its original position. the fluid pressure through the pipe 44 is released, and the compressed air or other fluid which is fed to the upper end of the cylinder moves the piston downwardly and exhausts the lower side of the cylinder.

When one of the tubes has been backwashed, its valves are returned vto their normal position, whereby the feed water again enters the bore of the tube and passes outwardly through its wall. The various tubes are backwashed cleaned in rotation at intervals depending upon thetype of installation and size and capacity of the tubes. My tubes as illustrated are formed of a porous, molded and vitrified material which presents tortuous paths kfor the fluid through the tube walls, retaining all foreign matter. It is, of course, not necessary that my apparatus contain 'for each tube and positioned'within the bore of the t'ibe, and means for actuating said rod whereby one valve opens as the other valve shuts. 8. In a fluid filtering apparatus, a chamber through which fluid passes under pressure, a plurality of filtering tubes contained within the chamber and in the bores of which the fluid is received and through the walls of which the iluid passes into the chamber, a back-wash drain communicating with the bores of the tubes, sleeves positioned at the tops and bottoms of the tubes and communicating with the bores thereof. said sleeves having fluid passage ports therein, sleeve valvescontained in the upper sleeves for controlling the entrance of fluid to the bores of the tubes, sleeve valves contained in the lower sleeves for controlling communication. .between the brresof the tubes and the back-wash drain, the fluid entry valves being normally open and the ldlain valves normally closed, a valve actuating connection between the entry valve and drain valve for each tube, piston and cylinder assemblies aligned with the sleeves and coupled to the valve actuating connections, and fluid pressure means communicating with the -cylinders to actuate the pistons and valves.

- 9. In a fluid filtering apparatus. a chamber through which fluid passes under pressure, a plurality of filtering tubes contained within the chamber and in the bores of which the fluid is received and through the walls of which the fluid passes into the chamber,l a back-wash drain communicating with .the bores of the tubes, sleeves positioned at the tops and bottoms of the tubes and communicating with the bores thereof, said sleeves having fluid passage ports therein, sleeve valves contained in the upper sleeves for controlling the entrance of fluid to the bores of -the tubes, sleeve valves contained in thelower sleeves for controlling communication between the bores of the tubes and the back-wash drain, the fluid entry valves being normally open and the drain valves normally closed, ay valve operating rod extending between the entry valve and drain valve for each tube and positioned within the bore of the tube, piston and cylinder assemblies aligned with the sleeves and coupled to the valve operating rods, and iluid pressure means communicating with the cylinders to actuate the pistons and valves. Y

10. In a fluid filtering apparatus, a casing, a pair of horizontal transverse partitions dividing the casing into three chambers, a plurality of filtering tubes contained within the central chamber and extending from an orince in one partition to an orifice in another partition, the fluid passing from the upper chamber through the walls of the filter tubes into 'the central chamber under pressure, a valve positioned below each tube for controllingthe passage of fluid from the tube into the lower chamber, a valve positioned above each tube for controlling the passage oi iluid from the upper chamber into the tube, the upper valve being normally ope'n and the lower valve normally closed, and means for actuating the two valves of any tube to reverse their open and closed positions.

11. In a fluid filtering apparatus, a casing, a pairof horizontal transverse partitions dividing the casing into three chambers, a plurality of illtering tubes contained within the central chamber and extending from an orifice in one partition to an orifice in another partition, the iluid'passing from the upper chamber through the walls of the fllter tubes into the central chamber under presmosaics l2. In a fluid' filtering apparatus, a casing, a

pair oi' horizontal transverse partitions dividing the casing into three chambers, a plurality of filtering tubes contained within thel central chamber and extending from an oriilce in one partitionto an oriilcein another partition, the iluid passing from the upper chamber through the walls of the illter tubes into the central charnber under pressurepsleeves positioned at the tops and bottoms of the tubes and communicating with the bores thereof, said sleeves having fluid passage ports therein, a' sleeve valve contained* within each upper sleeve for controlling the passage of fluid from the upper chamber into a tube, a sleeve valve contained within each lower sleeve for controlling the passage ofiluid from a tube into the lower chamber, the upper valves being normally open and the lower valves normally closed, a valveoperating rod extending between the two valves of a tube and positioned within the bore of the tube, and means for actuating the rod whereby one valve opens as the other valve shuts. l

13. In a uid filtering apparatus, a casing, a pair of horizontal transverse'partitions dividing the casing into three chambers, a plurality of flitering tubes contained within the central chamber and extending from an orifice in one partition to an orifice in another partition, the fluid passing from the upper chamber through the walls'of the filter tubes into the central chamber. under pressure, sleeves positioned at the tops and bottoms of the tubes and communicating with. the bores thereof', said sleeves having fluid passage ports therein, a sleeve valve contained within each upper sleeve for controlling the passage of fluid from the upper chamber into a tube, al sleeve valve contained within each lower sleeve for controlling the passage oi fluid from a tube into the lower chamber, the upper valves being normally'open and the lower valves normally closed, a valve operating rod extending between the two valves of a tube and positioned within the bore of the tube, piston and cylinder assemblies aligned with the sleeves and coupled to the valve actuating rods, and fluid pressure means communicating with the cylinders to actuate the pistons and valves. A

i4. In a iluid filtering apparatus, a casing, a pair of horizontal transverse the casing into 'three chambers, a plurality of filteringtubes contained within the central chamber and extending from an orifice in one partition to. an orifice in another partition, the fluid passpartitions dividing ing from the upper chamber through kthe walls Y of the filter tubes into the central chamber lunder pressure, sleeves positioned at the tops and bottoms of the tubes and communicating with the bores thereof, said sleeves having fluid passage ports therein; a sleeve valve contained within each upper sleeve for controlling the passage of fluid from the upper chamber into a tube. a

sleeve valve contained within each lower sleeve for controlling the passage of fluid from a tube into the lower chamber, the upper valves being normally open and the lower valves normally i closed, a valve operating rod extending between the two valvesy oi a tube and positioned within the bore of the tube, a piston and cylinder assembly mounted upon the top of each upper sleeve, each piston being coupledto a valve actuating G rod, and uid pressure means communicating with the cylinders to actuate the pistons.

15. In a fluid filtering apparatus. a casing; a

pair of horizontal transverse partitions dividingl the casing into three chambers, 'a plurality of l5 filtering tubes contained within the central chami ber and extending from an orice in one partition to an orifice in another partition, the uid passing from the upper chamber through the walls or the filter tubes into the central chamber under so pressure, sleeves positioned at the tops and bottoms of the tubes and communicating with the bores thereof, said sleeves having uid passage ports therein, a sleeve valve slidable within each upper sleeve to cover and uncover its ports and 25 having a fluid passageway there-through so that iiuid entering the vuncovered ports can pass through the valve. a sleeve valve slidable within each lower sleeve to cover and uncoverits ports and also having a uid passageway thereso through so that uid can through the valve and through the ports when the ports are uncovered, and piston. means for sliding the valves within the sleeves.

16. In a uid ltering apparat achamber through which uid passes under pressure. a plurality of filtering tubes .contained within the chamber andlthrough the walls or which tubes the fiuidpasses under a pressure" differential, a drain communicating with the bore gt each tube. 4and a valve lmechanism for each .tube to control the communication between the bore o! its tube and the drain and also control the pressure dinerential between' the chamber and the bore of its tube.

17. In a uid ltering apparatus, a casing, a

pair of horizontal transverse partitions each having a plurality of orices therein and dividing the casing into three chambers, the top chamber being provided for the reception of iiuid and the bottom chamber as a back-wash drain, a plurality of* ltering tubes contained within the central chamber, the'bore of each tube communicating with an orice through one partition and also communicating with an orifice through the other partition, the fluid passing through the walls of the tubes under a pressure differential, and a valve mechanism for each tube to control the communication betweenthe bore or its tube and the backwash drain and also control the pressure difierential between Y, the

central chamber and the bore of its tube.

RENARD PAUL AU. 

